01x02 - Episode 2

[bunniefuu]

Running off like that!
The itinerary was clear.

Breakfast in the pub 9.30.

Ten o'clock - meet
outside the pub.

Final prep 10.15.

Walk from the pub to Pwll Mawr,

then complete the loop back
to yesterday's start point.

Why would she leave early?

Maybe she fancied
something less strict?

Like an SAS bootcamp?

These walks are a
bit full-on, Anne.

I haven't looked
up for 40 minutes.

If you put on some hard garage,

it's like you're on a
treadmill at Fitness First.

Well, I don't get it.

Karen agreed to have
breakfast with me,

and I was looking forward to it

cos I haven't had a
proper chat with Karen.

I didn't like the
way she behaved,

flirting with
Steffan, a teenager.

I'm 19, Mam.

Come on! Keep up the pace!

LAUGHS

OK.

Oh! Oh, that is tidy, that is.

It's a shame Karen's not here.

Er...

..I think she is, guys.

ANNE: Oh, good God.

GASPS

- We'd better call the police.
- Oh, I'll do it.

Don't look, Steffan. Don't.

Janie? It's Mam.

Hey, you answered
that very quickly.

Why is it echoing in there?

I didn't raise a girl
who answers the phone

in the toilet!

I will get to the point, yes.

We found a body.

{\an8}INDISTINCT CONVERSATION

{\an8}This is the fifth faller
we've had here in two years.

{\an8}When are people going
to learn exercise kills?

{\an8}JANIE: What was she doing?

{\an8}No appropriate equipment.

{\an8}The shoes she looks like
she's going to a festival.

{\an8}Well, good on her.

{\an8}Nothing wrong with rocking
a bit of style, is there?

A heart jacket and a
leopard-print backpack - style?

I have that exact same backpack.

It's nice.

How's your mam holding up?

- Bit shaken.
- Mm.

She wouldn't have
suffered, Mrs M.

Totally would have suffered.
Horrible way to go.

My idea of hell.

- Basically smashed to death.
- All right?

Awful business.

This place brings
back bad memories.

Did you have a case
here? A jumper?

Oh, no, no, no. Family holiday.

Brought Kel and the
kids here walking.

Trying to teach them about
the history of these falls,

the myth of Sgwd Gwladys,
learn about their heritage.

Teenage girls?

Should have taken them to
Tenerife, on reflection.

Anyway, what have we got?

Looks like a fall.

You'd expect lower-body
injuries from a jump.

She'd have been upright on
impact, but our woman wasn't.

Cause of death, I'd say,

is the head trauma from
when she hit the rocks.

Obviously can't rule anything
else out until I've done

the PM and toxicology.

All right, well,
keep us in the loop.

Any info on who she is?

Yeah, according to Mam, she
was new to the walking group,

too thin by half and
had "stubborn eyes".

The only concrete
information she gave us

was that she's
called Karen Barnes.

No, she isn't.

She gave a false address.

She isn't on the criminal
record database either.

She's a mystery.

Shake it up, shake it up.

Mm. Thank you.

How do we find a person?

A good actor, proper actor,
doesn't need words or movement.

They can reach into the essence
of character with two things.

The eyes.

Cheryl, can you just
pop over here, please?

Cool earrings.

LAUGHS

I want you to read from
this sheet. All right?

We're going to go through
a series of emotions.

Now, I'm going to
try and portray them

just by using... my eyes.

And cue.

Anger.

Love.

Betrayal.

Lust.

Sadness.

Fear.

Surprise.

Again, rapidly.

Anger. Love.

Betrayal. Lust.
Sadness. Fear. Surprise.

Freeze!

There. The eyes have it.

APPLAUSE

Thank you, thank you.

JOHN: [ON TV] Now,
physical comedy.

This is amazing.

Oh, that. Yes, that's my
acting masterclass series.

I resisted it, but, er,
my agent said, in the end,

it would be my gift
to the profession.

Oh.

Oh, yeah.

"A powerful peek behind
the magic of acting."

Not my words.

Jeremy Irons'.

Yeah. So what's going
on here, anyway?

Well, I'm rearranging
everything.

I do it every three years.

I've always... I
become blocked.

Have you tried prune
juice? Mam swears by it

when she needs to
clear out the basement.

Delightful. Very evocative.
Yeah, I'll bear it in mind.

Now, Detective Mallowan, we
both know why you're here.

So come on, let the
dog see the rabbit.

I just popped by for a chat.

So nothing to do
with this mysterious

unidentified individual, mm?

Read it in the paper.

Identity wiped,

but can we ever
truly hide ourselves?

Yeah, I knew you'd be up
for it. I'll put a brew on.

You haven't got any
biscuits, have you?

There's no car in
the trail car park

and no bus or taxi
driver remembers her,

so we think she must
have arrived by foot.

Interesting.

Could be something, Chapel.
Could be something...

Could be something. Could
be talking to yourself

like a weirdo,
Chapel... Oh, my God!

Oh! A little warning
would be nice

- before you explode.
- The coat!

This is Caesar's
coat. Why didn't you

tell me you have Caesar's
coat? This is huge.

I think we've got
two mysteries here.

The missing person and you.

What? I'm not a mystery.

I'm simple.

I'm an open book.
Everybody says so.

Mam says it all the time.

Nice. But you're not like
other big fans of Caesar.

Why do you like it so much?

You're a professional
policewoman,

for goodness' sake. You
know how it all works.

I just do, OK?

Anyway, we're not
talking about me.

We're talking about Karen.

So shut up about the
coat, John Chapel.

You're bloody obsessed with it.

What can you tell me
about Karen? Who is she?

Well, she had a
childhood without money.

The sugar sachets
found in her pocket.

She didn't want them,
didn't use them,

but she remembers what it
was like to go without.

Yes. And, er, apple
stalk and two pips.

Which means she
eats the whole core.

Now, that is very interesting.

Why?

Because I do that as well.

- Great.
- I'll put an APB out

for anyone who
nicks sugar sachets

and eats apples like a weirdo.

Should have this
wrapped up in no time.

Building up a picture
of this woman's psyche

is important if you
want to find her k*ller.

What? You think she was k*lled?

Obviously. Yes. Look.

The shoes... and no phone.

You can't discount that.

But we're working on the
theory that her phone

slipped out of her pocket
when she fell and washed away.

You'd be better off working
on your observation skills,

because phones do not slip
out of skin-tight jeggings.

- You know about jeggings?
- Doesn't everyone?

No, Karen's k*ller
took her phone

to stop you finding
out who she really was.

But who?

One of the walking group?

This is my mam's walking
group we're talking about.

You can't think that one of
them would m*rder a stranger!

She wasn't a stranger.

Whoever k*lled Karen
clearly knew her.

Of course, I wouldn't
be able to say who

without knowing more
about the suspects.

This is not what I meant.

JOHN GRUMBLES

I hate synthetic fibres.

They make my skin itch.

You're lucky the charity
shop had any walking gear.

This could be good for
you, getting out the house.

You know... loneliness
is a k*ller.

I am not lonely.

I just like being alone.

There's a distinct
difference, you know.

Anyway, chance would
be a fine thing.

You see, there's this detective

who always disturbs
my peace and quiet.

Rude. Right, there they are.

They all agreed to come
back and do the walk again?

A bit ghoulish, isn't it?

Right, now, it's probably
best if I take the lead.

You haven't got my
antennae for people.

Look, just try not to let
on that you're helping me.

If I get caught involving you,
then my promotion and my career

- are down the toilet.
- They'll never suspect

I'm involved. I'm just
a retired local actor...

..well, of some
repute, of course.

- Well respected...
- Yes, yes.

- ..revered internationally.
- Less talking, more walking.

Recently there was an
article. I'll send it to you.

Oh, here they are. Hiya!

Mam said it'd be all right if
I brought my friend John along.

We've never had a national
treasure with us before.

Oh, please, please.
Oh, no, please.

I'm just one of the
group. Nothing special.

What are you doing here?

I'm not here on
official business.

Mam's just always telling
me I need to get out more.

Well, you're so pale.

And you're always driving.
Never walk anywhere.

Yes, thank you.

John, Mam.

Mr Chapel.

{\an8}TRANSLATED FROM WELSH

Anne Treadway, Treasurer.
Can you sign here?

Of course, yes. Is
that Anne with an E?

No, I don't want your autograph.

No, this is the consent form.

Wait, do you expect

preferential treatment
because you're famous?

- No, but...
- No. No, indeed.

I should hope not.

Now, hurry up and
we can get started.

- All right.
- Right. Snack bar.

Oh, no, I'm fine, thank you.

No, it's not a question.

No, it's three hours
until the pub lunch,

and I will not have people's
blood sugar falling.

Worth remembering.

Right, let's go.

I do understand quite a
lot of Welsh, you know.

My wife used to speak
it all the time.

Definitely not a sex pest.

Mam, he understands Welsh.
Also, even if he didn't,

sex pest is an English word,

so he'd know that you
were calling him one.

Too much gossip and
dawdling back there!

This isn't a sewing circle.

It's like she's got eyes
in the back of her head.

They'd go with the
snakes in her hair.

Still, that's not a
bad place to start.

Whatever got Karen k*lled,

she's the most likely
to have observed it.

Come on! No
stragglers, please.

JOHN: Fresh air in the
lungs and blood in the legs.

Blow, winds, crack your cheeks!

Rage! Blow!

- What more could you want?
- A bit of silence.

This is the Trebach
Ramblers' Pwll Mawr yomp.

- Not a chat show.
- Sorry.

Forgive me. I'll shut up.

But I would like to
say I do admire you

for doing this in
Karen's memory.

Something that modern
youth don't understand -

the notion of duty.

Hmm.

What was she like, this Karen?

Honestly? She was
a troublemaker.

- Ah.
- Arrived late.

She signed up online,

and the website didn't say,
"Walk up whenever suits you."

Oh, rules are
rules for a reason!

I find in the modern world

that there's a distinct
lack of decorum.

LAUGHS

You sound like my husband.

This was Peter's favourite
walk. I didn't like the idea

of someone turning up and
treating it like a joke.

Well, quite right.
It's an affront.

I bet she wasn't prepared
in the slightest.

No, she wasn't. No
equipment, no money,

so she couldn't pay for the
walk or her room at the pub.

Can't say I'm surprised.

People want something for
nothing nowadays, don't they?

It boils my blood.

Yes, that's exactly
it, Mr Chapel.

Young Steffan paid
for her in the end,

which I thought was very odd.

Mind you, there's a
lot odd about Steffan.

WHISPERS: He's a bit
of a mummy's boy.

That's interesting. Oh,
I'm sorry. One second...

Oh, yes. No, do.

JOHN GRUNTS

God, you really are good.

No, ice cream's good.

I'm a highly skilled
emotional empath.

Come on, don't dawdle.

Oh, leave it, Mam.

- Steffan, isn't it?
- Yeah.

You're Mr Chapel.

Hey, how come you're not
on the telly any more?

Mam thinks you were cancelled,

but Leah thinks you're
just not getting any work.

- Steffan!
- No, no, no, no.

That's not what we said.

I'm Leah Jones.

- Lovely to meet you, darling.
- And you.

I didn't have Caesar
down as much of a walker.

It's good to get out into
God's country, isn't it?

- Yeah.
- Open the gills.

Clear out the old
blowhole, so to speak.

BOTH LAUGH

No, it is.

I need it.

I'm a taxi driver, so I spend
all week sitting on my arse.

This is the only chance I
get to show off my legs.

- Well, good set of pins!
- Thank you.

I won't get my old
pasty legs out,

not without a couple
of stiff ones in me!

Drinks, that is!

BOTH LAUGH

Bronwen Richards.

- Big fan of your theatre work.
- How wonderful.

Always a pleasure to meet
a discerning theatre-goer.

Hopefully you can bring some
intellectualism into the group.

Oh! No, I'm an intellectual.

I went to Open University,
love. I've got an MA.

Yes, of course, Leah fach.
You've done amazingly,

considering your background.

I'm from Merthyr,
not a w*r zone!

Beautiful scenery, isn't it?

Stunning.

This is the sort of place
I used to come to with...

..with my wife.

Aww.

- Oh, come on.
- Oh, you poor love.

Sorry, sorry.

God.

You really know how to make
a newcomer feel welcome,

don't you? Just
like poor Karen.

So lovely.

Anne just told me that Steffan
even paid for her room.

Yeah. Against my wishes.

He's a very generous boy.

It comes with being what we
call academically more able.

He's just been
accepted to Oxford.

Oh, wow. When do you start?

- Seven weeks, three days.
- Marvellous.

Karen must have
been very grateful.

Yeah, she was.

Too grateful by
far, if you ask me.

Almost lascivious.

Told Steffan she was his type.

I mean, that's a bit harsh,
but she was a wrong 'un.

Is that why you asked Anne
to throw her out the group?

No, I...

She was messing with the mood,

like, the equilibrium
of the group.

Now, Ryan, he seemed to
take a dislike to Karen.

That night, she was
making a point about

dark things in people's past,
and he got up and stormed off.

SHRILL WHISTLE

Three-minute rest break is over.

Come on. It's only
four miles to the pub.

Right.

See? You're making friends.

- Please.
- Come on, admit it.

You're enjoying getting
out and meeting new people.

- Careful, Steffan.
- All right, Mam.

OK. Pint, pint.

They didn't have an extra-hot
long macchiato, so it's Kenco.

- Sorry.
- Oh, dear.

Er, G and T?

Tap water, Ryan.

Oooh! I'm surprised to see you

have a beer, Steff. Assumed
you were still breast-fed.

For your information, Steffan
has not been breast-fed

since he was six.

Makes sense.

Oh, and, Anne, they said
your Earl Grey's coming.

Probably leave the
bag in too long.

I'd better go and advise.

Ooh, I'd best take
off my jacket,

otherwise I won't
feel the benefit.

Shift your bum.

Come on!

- It's Ryan, isn't it?
- Yep.

Janie. I'm Yvonne's daughter.

Yeah, I can tell.

I wish everyone would
stop saying that.

We're nothing like each other.

Oh, best take this off or
I won't feel the benefit!

Can I have a crisp?

Your accent. It's
not from round here.

No. Moved here
from Manchester.

Manchester! Mad fer it!

Sound!

So why'd you move here?

I, er, wanted somewhere quiet
with, um, nothing going on.

Nothing going on?

You seen the new park
and ride in Abercynlle?

Saving it for a rainy day.

Aren't you a bit young
and normal for this group?

My GP thought it'd
be good for me.

There's a lot of health
benefits of walking.

Not for Karen, though, eh?

Jesus.

Ooh!

SIGHS

Er, just came in for a slash.

Excellent place to
have one, I find.

Ah, strange the people you
meet in toilets, isn't it?

I remember once standing
at a urinal next to

the great Sir Ralph Richardson.

Oh, God. I was a
young actor then.

I was completely in
awe, trying to impress.

Very eager. So I
started rabbiting on

about this, that and the other,

and without even
looking over, he said,

"Less prattle, more piddle."

Classic Rafey!

- Right.
- Yes. Wonderful.

I think it was John
Gabriel Borkman

he was playing at the
time. Yeah. And...

DOOR SHUTS

Are you sure you didn't see
or hear Karen walk off, Leah?

You were in the
room next to her.

No, I didn't see anything.

I was working early
shifts all week,

- so I was out like a light.
- I saw her.

I went for a walk and
saw her heading off.

Couldn't miss her in
that heart jacket.

I gave her a wave
and she waved back.

I saw her leaving, too.

- JANIE AND YVONNE: Never!
- I was looking out the window.

It would have been
about nine o'clock.

Could you be sure it was her?

Well, you don't see many
walkers on the falls trail

with leopard-print bags,

so, yeah, I think it's
safe to say it was her.

- Anne's taking her time.
- Oh!

Her and Karen nearly came
to blows here that night.

JANIE AND YVONNE: No!

Yes. Over Karen being tight
and not paying for the walk.

Anne said it wasn't the
money, it was the principle.

Karen told her to lighten
up. Anne called her a cow!

- Anne?!
- Mm.

Well, I never.

I am speechless,
completely speechless.

That is a shock.

I know. Pillar
of the community.

Doctor's wife well, widow -

in a slanging match.

We were about to send
out a search party.

I needed a think.

About Karen?

Mm.

You didn't like her, did you?

No.

No, she wasn't a nice person.

I know people think
I'm a fuddy-duddy,

but this walking group
means a lot to me,

and she treated it like a joke.

I think I understand.

This was Peter's favourite view.

I think it was the reason
he wanted to move here.

Every weekend we were
up in the Peak District,

but he took early retirement
so that we could be here.

This was Peter's spot.

When he could still
make it up here.

Do you mind me
asking what happened?

It was Parkinson's.

Oh.

Such a cruel disease.

We had a few good years
when he could still

enjoy these hills
before it got too bad.

And then last year, he...

People expect you to move on.

Put on a brave face.

Be who you were before.

They don't see that
you can't go back.

It doesn't get any easier.

Oh, I'm sorry. I remember
reading about your wife.

- How long has it been?
- Ten years.

Ten!

It might be good for you

to talk about it
with the group more.

A problem shared?

We're a walking group,
not a poetry society.

Come on.

What'd you get from Anne?

A stiff upper lip and
a warm vulnerability

hidden behind a cold shoulder.

- In English.
- Oh, sorry. My mistake.

I'll dumb it down.

Anne didn't like
Karen. Karen bad.

- Make Anne sad.
- Sod off.

I can't see her as our k*ller.

This death has sullied
one of her remaining links

to her husband.
She's the only one

who seems to have lost
anything from this.

There's something off
about Karen's backpack.

Do you want to
know what I reckon?

No.

Um, now, I followed
up my hunch on Ryan.

Pray tell.

Went to the toilet
to take these.

Quetiapine.

- No idea what that is.
- Mental health meds.

A friend of mine used to take
them. It's not a big deal.

Why are you making such a big
deal out of it, John Chapel?

CROCKERY CLATTERS

And... our charming landlady?

What does she make of Karen?

I assume you've interviewed her.

She wasn't very helpful.

Like trying to get
blood from a stone.

Well, I didn't see her leave,
but she cleared her room

and she left the
key behind the bar.

Her room was settled in
cash, which is fine by me

because I don't trust
this internet banking.

Oh, neither do I.

It makes it too easy for
all these crooks and conmen.

This is it, isn't it?

Now, I know you'd never be
indiscreet about a guest,

but if you noticed
anything about Karen,

it could be very
helpful... for me.

There were goings-on
in the night.

Sexual goings-on, if
you know what I mean.

Fairly sure it was
coming from her room,

which doesn't surprise me,

because she seemed to
be a very cheap woman.

Thank you.

I will never forget how
helpful you've been.

LANDLADY SIMPERS

Blood from a stone?

YELLS

What's the hold-up?

We were supposed to set
off eight minutes ago.

He's had a fall.

I haven't had a
fall! I'm not 80!

I fell over.

Nearly ended up with a
poker up me... Agh! Agh!

- Ankle! Argh!
- Let me do that.

Silly sausage.

That's really helpful of
you, Yvonne. Thank you.

Oh, I think I need to
put this up, actually.

Look, I think it's for the best

if you continue this walk
with... ahh! ..out me.

Yeah, you heard him.

Come on. We have
to finish the walk.

It's the whole
reason we're here.

He'll be fine.

Hope I don't
collapse on the walk.

Anne'll leave me for dead.

- Yeah.
- Bad choice of words.

JOHN GROANS

We'll stay with him.

JOHN SIGHS

Right, let's go.

Well, come on, then.

I thought you were injured!

You are really good at acting.

Thank you, Yvonne. A
BAFTA, an Emmy nomination

and a TV Choice Award.

Feigning a man with a
twisted ankle is nothing.

- Yes, you were great, darling.
- But why did you do it?

Because we need to get
back and find Karen's car.

We've already checked
every car in the car park.

It's something
the landlady said.

{\an8}Karen was cheap. The
sugar sachet, see?

Karen was frugal. She
wouldn't pay for the car park.

She'd park nearby and walk,

and we need to widen the search.

JOHN: One of these
must be hers.

Look.

You say you're not a sex pest.

Not a sex pest last
time I checked, no.

But you're not trying to take
advantage of her, are you?

If anyone is taking advantage,

it's your daughter,
Mrs Mallowan,

using my gifts to
further her career.

Only you mean a
lot to that girl.

Your show was the only thing

that got her through
what happened.

What happened?

Oh, I shouldn't say anything.

OK, fine.

Her best friend
died. A while ago.

Very sad.

Suicide.

Right. Well, I didn't know.

Janie was so lost, bless her.

Hardly left her room for months.

Watched your show on repeat.

It was like a comfort
blanket for her.

Got her through the worst.

Look, what I'm saying
is, you are her hero.

So if you hurt her, I'll
have your whatsits off

and feed them to the birds.

Right.

Well, as I say, no
intention of hurting her.

And every intention of
holding on to my whatsits.

Happen to be quite attached

- to them.
- JANIE: What about this one?

It's got a leopard-print
dog bed in the back.

Very Karen.

If Karen had a pet,
it would be a cat.

Honestly, your antennae.

Think, Chapel.

Think, think, think.

YVONNE SHRIEKS

What are you doing?

It's Karen's car.

Sticker, personalised plate.
Ostentatious. Very Karen.

Ooh, it's messier
than your car, love!

You can't go around
damaging people's property!

This is a police investigation.

You could have just
jeopardised the...

That's her. That's Karen.

Apparently, it's
Veronica Mount, actually.

Wow.

You can choose any fake
name, and you go for Karen.

So Karen Barnes is in
fact Veronica Mount,

a psychiatric nurse
from Cheshire.

Can we go back to the bit

where you completely
lost your mind

and smashed open the window
before calling it in?

Yeah, sorry, sir.

A moment of madness. Don't
know what came over me.

Oh.

Yeah, right. Say no more.

I've got three daughters.

Do you need to take
an afternoon off?

Hot-water bottle
and a big Galaxy

usually does the
trick for my lot.

No. No, sir. I'm fine. It's...

Yeah, that's... That's not
it. Very considerate of you.

Bit over the mark, but...

Ah. Anyway, it all
seems cleared up.

This calls for a Twix
from the vending machine.

- My shout.
- I don't know if it is.

I still think it's m*rder.

We still haven't
found her phone,

she lied about her identity,

and she rubbed a lot of
the group up the wrong way.

That sounds like something

your actor friend
might dream up.

How about sticking to the
obvious instead of your guts?

Not everything is a m*rder.

PHONE RINGS

Hiya.

Thanks.

That was Baxter at the path lab.

PM report confirms
it was m*rder.

GLASSES CLINK

Karen was dead before the fall.

The impact was from
some sort of metal rod.

Somebody hit her, then
pushed her over the edge.

Well, what do you think?

CROCKERY CLATTERS

It would be easier to
think without distractions.

I can't believe someone
would do that to Karen.

Speechless, I am.

Sorry.

Giving her a lift to Funky Pump.

Mind you, nobody
seemed to like Karen.

Even Anne, right from the off.

Karen asked her what kind of
operation she was running,

and Anne bristled.

Bristled! Didn't even give
her a snack bar for the walk!

And Anne always gives
people a snack bar,

so I thought even then,
"She's a wrong 'un."

Yeah. A cup of tea
would be lush, Mam.

I keep being drawn
to the backpack.

This again?

Forget objects.

Focus on people.

Emotions, feelings.

PHONE RINGS

Chaudhry?

I've run a background
check on our victim.

Her bank got back to me.

Up until 2023, Veronica Mount
received regular deposits

of 5,000 grand!

I think you mean five grand.

- Anything else?
- Yeah.

Tony on the front desk has just
won 100 quid on a scratchcard.

Anything relevant to the case?

I thought we were

just chatting.

Er, no. Nothing.

Well, that explains the comment,

"Dark things in
people's pasts."

Blackmail.

You think she was blackmailing
one of the group? Who?

Ryan, obviously!

Because he's on antipsychotics?
We can't hound people

because they have
mental health problems.

Yes, but he's lying
about seeing Karen -

Veronica - that morning.
What did he say?

He knew it was her because he
saw the heart on her jacket?

- So?
- Well, how could he?

She was wearing her backpack.

Bronwen saw her wearing
it that morning,

and it was found with the body.

I'm not lying. I saw her.

She even waved at
me. Why would I lie?

You moved here from Manchester.

Veronica Mount lived in Cheshire

but worked for a mental
health trust in Manchester.

It's a big city.

It's not like here, where
everyone knows each other.

I mean, yous two probably
went to school together.

That's just a Welsh stereotype.

We did not go to
school together.

Only because Auntie Yvonne

thought my school was
too rough for you.

We are cousins, yes, all right.

So you and Veronica just went
for a walk at the same time?

Where? Why?

I'd urge my client
not to say anything.

Don't act all smart, Aeron.
You used to eat crayons.

Look, I know you don't
want to talk about

the darkness in the old melon.

Are you trying to
say mental health?

Yeah. I've been there too.

I might seem like
a normal person...

Feel free to agree.

..but a little while ago,

I had a pretty big...

..breaky D.

Nervy B.

Just lost my marbs a bit.

You're really not very good
at talking about this stuff.

I just slept,

occasionally ate,

and watched a hell of
a lot of crime dramas.

That's why you disappeared!

Mam said you'd gone
on a ski holiday.

Look, I know what it's
like to come back from

something like that,
and I think you do, too.

Maybe, yeah.

But you need to start opening up

and talking about it,

because I don't see
you as a m*rder*r.

SIGHS

Last year, I had a
bit of an episode.

I were working in Manchester,

burning the candle at
both ends, and, um,

I couldn't cope.

Hence the quetiapine.

How'd you know?

It's not a peeing contest, but
I was on a way higher dose.

Well, the meds have really
helped, but I lost them

when I was on the walk.

I had to get an
emergency prescription

sent over to the
pharmacy in Abercynlle.

That's where I was.

I know the one. Jean
would remember you.

Your big city coat, weird
accent. I'll check it out.

Now who doesn't
have the antennae?

Ha-ha!

Um, oh...

I still don't
understand why you lied

about seeing Veronica leaving.

I didn't.

I don't care what
Bronwen thinks she saw.

Check with her son. He
would have seen her as well.

Steffan? He was
asleep all morning.

No, he were watching from the
window. It was definitely him.

Little weirdo.

OK.

{\an8}- Yeah.
- OK.

JANIE: Ryan's story checks out.

Couldn't shut Jean at the
chemist up about his coat.

But Steffan... I don't
know why he lied to us.

Probably because he
was hiding the fact

that he'd spent the
night with Veronica.

You think they were doing it?

No, I don't think
they were "doing it",

because I'm not 12 years old.

I think they were having sex.

Natural, passionate animal sex.

I don't like it when you
talk about that stuff.

It's like when teachers do.

Right. Let's go and
see what he has to say.

Whoa! You're not coming.

We'll be laughed out of court

if the arresting officers are me

and the man the
Radio Times called

"Britain's greatest detective".

No. Stay here.

I'll leave the
window open for you.

I'm not a dog!

And it was "Britain's most
formidable detective".

Good boy.

KNOCK ON DOOR

- Hi.
- Can I help?

We need to have a chat, Steffan.

I said stay in the car.

Look, I told you

- everything I know...
- It's all right.

I knew this moment would come

sooner or later, so I
might as well say it.

I m*rder*d her.

JOHN: I'm not convinced.

Oh, it just doesn't
feel right. Bronwen...

- Get off my fries.
- I'm only having a couple.

I know what you mean,
but Bronwen's confessed.

Doesn't even want a solicitor,
even though Steffan and Leah

are desperately
trying to get her one.

Leah?

Of course!

Bronwen didn't do it.

She made the same mistake I did.

It's got nothing
to do with Bronwen.

- You were right.
- Was I?

Brilliant. What about?

The backpack.

It all hinges on that.

It wasn't messy.

Ryan wasn't lying.

I hope there's a good reason
for bringing us all here.

I'm supposed to be at water
aerobics, and the instructor

will go easy on the
group if I'm not there.

What is going on?

You're still not telling
me why I've been released.

Because you didn't
k*ll Veronica.

You're protecting your son.

I was gonna say that bit!

Needed gravitas.

- I didn't k*ll her!
- He didn't.

It was me.

Wow.

Sorry, what are you doing?

I just came in
with everyone else.

- What's going on?
- Can you go?

Steffan really didn't
k*ll her, Bronwen.

You made the same mistake I did.

You assumed that Steffan
spent the night with Veronica.

No!

Nice young Steffan and Veronica?

Well, I had suspected.

No, you hadn't, Mam.

I came to your room to
bring you a hot-wot bot,

and you weren't there.

Next morning, I
saw her walk off.

You came back into your
room within an hour.

Nobody else was up,

so I assumed that you'd...

Nipped out to m*rder a woman?

No!

Then where were you all night?

With me.

Oh, bloody hell.

LAUGHS

LANDLADY: Fish
and chips for you?

Oh, for...

Who's ordering food
at a time like this?

Someone stole all
my chips earlier.

These are on the house.

- Really? That's so sweet.
- Yeah.

{\an8}I hope this is a sick joke.

I actually had suspected.

I don't think we need to be
airing all this in public.

Excuse me.

God, they are good
chips, though. Mm.

Sorry.

That's why Veronica
made the comment about

being exactly your type.

She wasn't flirting.

She'd caught me and Leah
kissing on the walk.

- Oh...
- She seemed to find it funny.

Well, that's why I offered
to pay for her room,

so she wouldn't tell Mam.

Why do you think I come on
these walks with you, Mam?

You're smothering.

How could you say that
about your own mother?

To be fair, you have
just accused him

of being a m*rder*r, love.

Well, I wish he was.
It'd be better than this.

Oh, leave her alone.

Leah's the best thing
that's ever happened to me.

Wait. So who did
k*ll Veronica?

It was the snack bar that
made me suspect first of all.

You always offer one on arrival.

I thought I'd been so careful.

We didn't realise you used
to live in Manchester.

That's how you knew Veronica.

She'd worked as a trainee
nurse under your husband

before he took early retirement.

And of course, she knew why
he'd taken early retirement.

The onset of Parkinson's
is not great for a doctor,

but far worse for a surgeon.

My guess is that there was
some kind of botched procedure.

Only one.

I mean, people didn't have
to be snowflakes about it.

Nobody died, and the
panel cleared him.

Yes, but they didn't know
about the Parkinson's.

And Veronica did,

and she decided
to blackmail him.

I never knew. She was
blackmailing him right up until

he went into care and
she couldn't get to him.

She was torturing him.

And then Veronica
showed up here.

Yes, last year.

She threatened to expose
the truth about Peter.

He was a pillar
of the community!

I shouldn't have,
but I paid her.

She said it was a one-off.

JOHN: Yes, but blackmail
is never a one-off, though.

No, I thought that was
the end of it, and then

she showed up on the walk.

JOHN: It must have taken
a lot for you to pretend

that you didn't know her.

She wanted more money.

She said she would come back
every week until I paid her.

I told her to meet
me along the trail

so nobody from the
group would see us,

and in return, she
would leave for ever.

And she did leave for ever.

- That's good gravitas.
- Thank you.

You waited for her at
the top of the falls

with an iron bar you'd found.

- Found?
- Yeah.

No, no, it was clearly
the poker from the pub.

Didn't you get that?

Occasionally you do have to

think about objects
and not people.

Thank you.

Then...

..you took her phone,

removing the one piece of
evidence that could tell us

who she really was.

And then you pushed
her over the edge.

JOHN: Everyone would assume
that she didn't want to walk

with the group and left early.

Another faller in
inappropriate gear

in a danger spot.

Very well planned.

Very Anne.

But how did you actually know?

The backpack.

Ryan saw Veronica
walking off without one.

So who did Bronwen see
walking with the backpack?

- She left it in her room.
- Yeah.

I mean, what sort of a
person walks the falls trail

without their equipment?

You panicked.

But then, as usual, you
came up with a plan.

You came back to
Veronica's room,

packed her bag,
then left the pub

- pretending to be Veronica.
- Then you

- walked back...
- Oi! I'm still talking here.

Then you walked
back to the falls

and threw it in with the body.

I still don't see...

- It was too neatly packed.
- Yeah.

Ordered.

Very Anne, but totally out
of character for Veronica.

Oh, that's very annoying.

May I have a moment
alone to... say goodbye?

Of course.

A-Actually, no.

Just the whole you
being a m*rder*r thing

sort of means I
have to stay here,

but I can... I'll wait
while you have the moment.

Take a minute...

It's hard to believe how much
Anne would risk just to protect

a dead person.

It's easy to k*ll

when half of you
is already dead.

It's a shame.

We all need people.

Living people.

Can't cut yourself off
from all connections.

I am talking about
you, in case you...

I very much got that.

Yeah. Hard to miss with
your sledgehammer approach.

- Oh, quick! Get down!
- Ow!

- Get down, get down!
- Ow, ow! Don't!

- Sir! Don't!
- What are you doing?

A senior male
officer getting into

- a lone female officer's car?
- Oh!

Inappropriate.

Yeah. Sorry.

They're doing, uh, gender
politics in the workplace

refresher courses in
Swansea. I'll sign myself up.

I'm just going to have
a chat with the lads.

Not lads!

Fellas. F... Fellow officers.

Colleagues. Er, people.

Hello there.

How's it going, lads?

Well, unsurprisingly, Anne
made a full confession.

Wow, look at this place.

You finally finished
your great cry for help!

Yep.

Made a lot harder
with my shoulder,

pushing me down like that.

But still, everything
is in its place,

and now I can sit down...

SIGHS

..and enjoy it.

Yeah, great. Look, um,

feel free to say no, but I'm
going to the pub tonight.

Do you fancy joining?

Can't.

- Got plans for this evening.
- Oh.

But you might have had a point.

Perhaps I do need to
get out and meet people.

So I've signed up for the
local bookshop book group.

Aww, John Chapel,
that's amazing!

- My mam goes to that one.
- Oh, great.

I was hoping not to
get a word in edgeways.

Hey, I'm allowed to be rude
about my mam, but you're not.

Well, I'll leave
you to get ready.

Oh, before you go!

I've, um...

- ..got you a gift.
- OK.

I know, um...

I know Caesar means
a lot to you, so...

What? What's wrong?

Nothing! These are happy tears.

Oh.

Oh! Oh.

Thank you.

Can you put it on?

SIGHS

- Ah!
- I'm sorry.

- OK?
- Ah! All right.

Can you do the line?

SIGHS

Crime waits for no man.

Oh.

What?

No, nothing. It's
just... Didn't...

Didn't sound like Caesar.

What are you talking
about? Of course it did.

- Mm, not really.
- Yeah, yes, it did!

Well, don't get in
a huff about it.

I'm not in a huff.

Crime waits for no man.

Keep working on it. I'm
sure it'll come back.